New Here with a 3 year old Shiba and have some concerns. Please Help.

Luis Diaz

Hi everyone,
My name is Luis Diaz and live in Miami, FL and got a 3 year old shiba inu in March and I've slowly adapting to him. His name is Bubba and he's my first dog and is the best dog I have ever been around. He's super obedient, loving and just gets along with everyone and every dog. Never barks (rarely) and as cute as a fuzzy bear cub.
He's 33 lbs. and of the black and tan with white underside. Not neutered either.

Okay so here is my issue. I first got him from his previous owner who said he could no longer take care of him cause of several reason I won't get into but I still talk to him about Bubba. So Bubba is very sensitive to certain products and I notice this right away. I went to the vet and got all the shots and told him he was sneezing a lot and got really bad so the vet gave me some pills to control his sneezing which it did and I got rid of my detergent which I had washed all the things he lays on when the sneezing started. I switched to ALL which has no fragrance and all that and that I'm sure helped with the sneezing.
So now I'm left with the other problem. He developed some itching and I think is also part of the allergy he has with "something". I don't know if it's still fleas cause I give him the Frontline once a month between his shoulders. I also bath him with some doggy shampoo that I think is fine. I forgot to mention he's allergic to Sulfate and Sulfite. Anything with these names in the ingredients I stay clear of even for myself I recently had to go back to bar soap because it doesn't contain Laurel Sulfate. So I've been trying to figure what is causing his constant scratching and gnawing on his top mid section. He has "bald spots" that he has completely ripped the hairs off with his teeth and now has bloody scabs left over. He has about 3 or four of these and is slowly starting to be more noticeable even with all the hair he already has.
I've gone online to see what they can be and I read stuff about allergies but still I don't know why he continue to pick and scratch. As some of you know it's really aggravating and makes me feel bad for him. I want to help the situation and have him all better.
A few things I want to point out. The thing I'm trying to do is contain the problem and find out what it is specifically.
Okay so in the last 3 weeks I've been taking him regularly to this park in my apartment community. Here is the thing he loves to play with other dogs and this place is dog heaven cause there are like 5 buildings all next to each other with hundreds of people and many of which have one or many dogs. I don't know if it may be cause by having him around other dogs or maybe being around a lot of these plants which in this complex are filled with gardens and lovely trees. They are also constructing (fixing the roofs) of the buildings so that is a constant thing since I got him and the vet also asked if there was any construction. I recently also changed his food to lamb and rice and he seems to like but still with the scratching after two weeks of eating it.
I also don't have carpet just tile and I clean it with Pine Sol but really watered down. I don't think it has Sulfate or Sulfite in it.
really frustrated.
Also I might go to another vet to get a second opinion which some people from here have recommended.

Has anyone had a problem like this? I just don't know what to do?

(pictures were taken at a friends house and in my car)

Luis Diaz

Other pic.

tsukitsune

what do you feed him?? sometimes food causes allergies with a dog reacting with hot spots, itching and biting at paws and skin.

ljowen123

Did the scratching start with the sneezing or was he doing this with his previous owner as well?

dlroberts

Hi Luis, welcome to the forum, you've got a very handsome boy! As you probably already know, there are a lot of things that can cause skin irritation in dogs ranging form environmental causes, to chemicals, to food allergies. I believe some vets will test for allergies, but that can cost a lot of money so you may want to try some other things first. Changing his food was definitely a good start, but you may want to move to a more novel protein source like fish, venison, or rabbit. Many foods that are chicken based also contain lamb so putting him on a lamb and rice formula may not be the solution. Also, what treats do you feed him? Most treats contain a protein source as well (which is often chicken, lamb, or beef). You can also get some medication from the vet to control itching, but that doesn't fix the problem, it just stops the symptom. It may be beneficial to hold off on that medication until you've found a food (or eliminated another cause) that works well for him. Then, you can use the medication to ease his transition. I'm sure others on the forum have some information as well, this is just my $0.02.

kwyld

Usually when dogs have allergies it is due to an ingredient in their food(specifically a carbohydrate or protein) or an environmental allergy like trees, pollens, grasses or even, can you believe this, cat or human dander! If it were my dog, I would supplement him with Omega 3 fatty acids, put him on a super premium food that is grain free with a protein he has never had before and you can even supplement him with bee pollen. I've heard it helps build immunity against allergies to pollens, you can buy it at www.k9power.com. Make sure you bath him with a shampoo like Malaseb(you can buy it at yout vet) and let it sit on the skin for 15 minutes to help remove allergens from his fur and skin. If none of this works, take him to a board certified dermatologist and you can get him allergy tested and start giving him allergy injections, they work like a vaccine to make him immune to the environmental allergies. Make sure you use that Frontline every 30 days because he could have an allergy to fleas too.

brandon_w

I see you said he is on lamb and rice, but from which food company?  There is a lot of trial and error if it is a food based problem.  Wellness makes foods with one protien source, and one carb source that are meant for dogs who maight have food allergies.

If you are washing him too much, it could possibly be making the problem worse.  Do they treat the grass where he plays with a lot of chemicals and fertilizers?  Those can really irritate a dogs skin.

Then there is the fact that some dogs just have allergies.  There are shots (predizone?) that you can get that can help quite a bit.  Or you could try giving benedryl.  I don't know if all vets offer it, but you can have blood panels run against known allergy causing things (just like you can as a human) to see what he is allergic too.  This would not be your cheapest route, that is for sure.



Lastly, Welcome, Bubba looks like a really sweet dog.  Any reason why you haven't had him neutered yet?

tsukitsune

*prednisone is dangerous if used for extended periods of time - make a
list of possible factors and do trial and error before doing pills or
steroid injections!

scarlet

Allergy season is here for us, as well as our dogs.  My friends who live in Arizona have a cattle dog.  Every spring he went into an extreme itch allergy reaction.  I recommended to them that rather than give him benedryl, causing him to sleep for a month, that they give him 'Bee Pollen".  It's natural and does not cause drowsiness.  They were amazed at the transformation and today use it every spring.

Some dog handlers give it regularly to their dogs for energy.  I take it all year long.

BradA1878

Hi Luis, welcome to the forum!

Bubba is very handsome, when you said he was 33lb I was worried he was fat, but he isn't... he's just a big guy - and a handsome guy too!

We switched our Shibas to a grain-free kibble and there allergy issues went away. Solid Gold makes a Bee Pollen supplement too.

Harlow

What a handsome boy you have! Welcome to the forum. Dog allergies have to be attacked from many angles: the right type of diet, absolute flea control-some dogs are so allergic to flea bites that one bite sets off a terrible itching allergy all over, getting the allergens off his coat using shampoo with no soap, potentially using antihistamines on a regular basis, vacuuming the carpet/furniture often to remove allergens etc. If you look at his stomach or between his toes, is the skin really red/dark pink and inflammed looking. If he is really itching and biting enough to make sores, you and your vet might consider prednisone to get things under control so the poor guy is not suffering. There's a lot of trial and error until you reach the right combination for your dog.
Our Koshi developed terrible allergies when he came to us here in southern California. We eventually got it under control but it doesn't take much to set it off again. What worked for him is Natural Balance Fish and Potato kibble, 25 mg benadryl twice a day, Sentinel once a month [insect growth inhibitor and heartworm preventative all in one], once a month bath with no soap shampoo. If we get a lot of wind off the desert [Santa Ana] his allergies kick up again due to the allergens coming in from the desert. Occasionally he will need 5 mg of prednisone to calm the itchies.

Luis Diaz

I was feeding him what his previous owner fed him which was

http://us.iams.com/iams/en_US/jsp/IAMS_Page.jsp?pageID=PL&productID=11

Because of the symptoms I mentioned I began to feed him this (just one bag so far)

http://us.eukanuba.com/EukGlobal/US/en/jsp/product/productDetail/Adult Natural Lamb & Rice Formula.jsp

I don't notice much of a change but a little less gnawing but the same amount of scratching.

Luis Diaz

The previous owner just told me to give his this when he would develop the skin problem that would make him scratch and itch.

http://sulfodene.com/medfordogs.htm

So I don't know if he had it that much. I do think when he arrived at my place he wasn't doing that much or any that I noticed.
But like I mentioned the other factors of his new home might have triggered his current state.

Luis Diaz

So I will look for something to feed him that is more fish and see if that does the trick. The last thing I fed him has been the above I mentioned.

Previous question I forgot to answer. *His sneezing went away after medication and after I changed my laundry detergent though the scratching carried over.

Luis Diaz

brandon- I live in a community (5 condo buildings) and they have a lawn service that comes several times a week and I don't know
what they do to the grass and plants. It is really beautiful here and have tons of different plants and trees. They might spray a lot
of chemicals.
I have only washed him once and I was thinking every month is that fine. He gets filthy by the second week here cause he plays all over
here. He loves playing with any and every dog as long as they don't abuse him.

As for neutering I thought maybe in a year or two find a cute little shiba girl for him and maybe keep one of them for Bubba to grow with.

Luis Diaz

I really don't want to have him on shots or anything if it might not be that.
So I might be doing more of the food trial and error. I don't know about his
previous owner or anything he's a friend of a friend. All I know is bubba
tends to be jumpy and I don't know if he had the symptoms where he was at
before. It's a different environment. It's hotter I imagine though not by much
cause I'm from Miami and he was from Tampa.

Luis Diaz

Scarlet I will try the bee pollen as also Kwyld also recommended.

Luis Diaz

thnx, brada I will try it.

Luis Diaz

Thnx Harlow and everyone else for taking the time I will look into the products mentioned and see if
it does the trick if not I'll ask the vet about prednisone. I really appreciate it.

Luis Diaz

How many times do you guys wash your dog/s?

tsukitsune

i wash my dogs when they get muddy or once every couple months when needed with hypoallergenic (no color or scent) shampoo. Baby shampoo works well with allergies too.

brandon_w

I haven't washed Nemo in about a year.  He still doesn't stink, but he's getting some rather dirty looking spots on his fur.  The weather is nicer now, I'll wash him soon.

Luis - Many of us on here take breeding as a very serious thing to do.  Since Bubba has some pretty bad allergies, he would not make a great candidate for breeding, as most likely his offspring would end up with the same issues.  I can't tell you what to do, only suggest that you really, really think about it.  There are many good Shiba breeders out there already, and there are many Shibas that end up in rescue every year, or are euthanized at shelters every year because their are no homes for them. 

tsukitsune

and neutering him will make him a better candidate for having a peaceful co-existance if you ever decide to get a second dog, especially a male.

Research all of the breeders in your general area before deciding to do that, there are probably more than you know and more and more pups mean more and more pages on petfinder.com, and that is tragic. and think of how his skin conditions will get passed on to his pups, if you are not improving the breed by breeding, then its not worth it.

MommyofNiko

I just got some waterless shampoo for Niko.  Shiba's arent meant to be washed a lot and it may depend on the dog, you want to make sure that the baths done make him itchier by drying the skin.  I agree about the breeding with everyone above, you can always get a GREAT companion by adopting another pup.  That is how we got Sasha and it is better than anything I could of hoped for.

Luis Diaz

I agree with you guys but the thing about Bubba he doesn't fit the stereotypical Shiba from what I have experienced and read.
He gets a long with every dog I have seen him play with. I never seen him acted up in any aggressive way to anybody. I do think
if he's not really bothering anyone or anything why cut his things off. I don't know that's what I think. I would
consider getting a companion for him if I see another shiba around that needs a home instead of breeding him that's for sure.
I do think it's sad all the dogs out there. Especially down here where no one really thinks much about anything other than themselves.
(Miami)
Just he is so calm and loyal and the vet has told me he's never seen one like mine and the way he is. I really think
there's something about him. Anyone would die to get one like him. He's just dealing with a misinformed owner (me)
and his new environment. I don't think it's something super serious.

As for washing him he gets really dirty really fast cause he plays a lot. But I will be getting the special shampoos you guys
described. Seems PetSmart really is bad for not having any of the above things.
I know some people in my place that order their food and things online which I will have to be doing.

I'm going to post more pics soon in the pic section.

Luis Diaz

Oh and I just bought him some new food that has Fish and Potato but it seems all the food at Petsmart have grain in it somewhere.
I got another Eukanuba but this one is for Sensitive Skin.
He seems to like it we'll see how it does him.
He is also shedding so much not.
It's getting hotter down here too, so I have to comb him every day. My place looks
like a Hair Cuttery.

ddowdemers

Lucy, since you live in a large city, you will have "boutique" pet stores that will have lots of sample packages of dry dog and cat food (They do not carry samples in Petco and Petsmart.  At least not in San Diego).  Don't spend a bunch of $$$ on trying different brands but rather find a small pet store and take a bunch of samples.  Solid Gold, Nature's Variety, and Innova all offer a variety of samples. And I am sure if you look, you will find others that have no grain.   Good luck and keep us informed.

MommyofNiko

I got the furminator waterless shampoo at petsmart but it wasnt in the shampoo section.  It was in the supplement isle.  Niko also is not the typical shiba.  The key with them is to socialize them early and dont let them get stuck in their ways.  There are many shiba's that are social, welcoming, warm and nurturing, their enviornment is very important.

Good food is very important and Petsmart is NOT the place to shop...you are learning quick. 

brandon_w

Luis - Most food brands have food location lookups on their websites.  Companies like Orijen, Solid Gold, Merrick, Wellness, and others all have them, they are not usually sold at chain stores because they do not have the influence (money) to gain spots there.

You may also want to read up on the benefits of having your dog neutered.  It eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and lowers the risk of others.  His nuts are not attached to yours.  (Please don't be offended, it's just a saying that I like.  Although I am a big advocate for spaying and neutering.  Volunteer a bit at your local humane society/animal control, you will realize in an instant how many dogs there already are, and why it is so important to do.  Especially if you find out how many they have to kill every week.)   

 

tsukitsune

they don't carry my food at petsmart, but i do get toys and nylabones from there.

i have 3 shibas in my house right now and all 3 are SO different! the female is outgoing and excitable, the male is aloof and weary of anything new or strange and the foster male just 'leans' into people for love and is an attention hog to the point where he is rude and that starts a fight with my male. Shibas can be anything, you are lucky you have a happy, social well adjusted one! You must be doing something right!!!

Some major benefits of neutering, other than no unwanted pups, is you are ridding any chances of testicular cancer, no prostate issues (enlarged glands), reduced hernias, discharge, tumors of testicles. There is also a highly decreased urge to roam for your dog. Plus larger places like Los Angeles is requiring all dogs be spayed or neutered so if that ever happens in Miami, you'd hate to see an older dog have to go through that sort of surgery!

But every owner is as different as every dog! Sounds like you take very good care of him either way!

Luis Diaz

Is it something very common in shibas to have these problems and cancers or is this a general thing for all dogs.
I'll think about it and I know the nuts are his, but damn.
I certainly wouldn't want anything bad to happen to him though in the future.

I think I'll never get any other type of dog after Bubba that is not shiba.
He's so great. Obedient but with his days of occasional WTF's.
But overall he's cool. I didn't wash him totally today. He was filthy from running and tossing around in dirt
from a local pay area. So I just washed his white boots and his chest and under side.

I got a million pics so I will post them up later in the pics section. Just been cleaning all day and my play
had tumbleweeds that it was reminiscent of an old western movie.

Well atleast now I can blam it on Bubba all the hair on the floor. I also shed a little but Bubba takes the cake.
Looks like shedding season for him.

Yes I'm realizing Petsmart sucks and the green seems to be the influencing factor their as in other parts of
our little greedy country. So I will have to buy them online or look at specialty pet places which are around.
Thanks guys and gals I really appreciate it. I'm learning a ton. I might be an expert after a year.